Daily Dawn
26th November 1962
People of Pakistan politically conscious
SUHRAWARDY ADDRESSES PUBLIC MEETING
KUSHTIA, Nov. 25 : Mr. H.S. Suhrawardy, leader of the National Democratic Front, said here yesterday that he did not believe that people of Pakistan were politically unconscious.
Mr. Suhrawardy was addressing a public meeting at Renwick Ground, Shah Azizur Rahman was in the chair.
A former Prime Minister, Mr. Suhrawardy, asked “had the people not been politically conscious how could they fight and achieve Pakistan?” He said that unless the fundamentasl rights were restord and people “have their say in affairs of the State” no prosperity could be achieved in this country. However, he said, faith was essential for restoration of such rights.
Mr. Suhrawardy praised role of the students who, he said, were always in the forefront of any movement. He added it was the students who fought for a referendum in Sylhet and brought it to Pakistan.
He said the Muslim League was a mass organisation once and was responsible for achieving Pakistan but soon after it had got into the hands of “a few”. Therefore, he had left the organisation and formed the Awami League, he added.
FOREIGN POLICY
Mr. Nurul Amin, former Chief Minister of East Pakistan; in his address referred to Pakistan’s foreign policy. He said though this should not be discussed in the meeting, “we can say this much that if any power attack our country we will gallantly defend our land.” He said the people of Pakistan would not lag behind in liberating Kashmir.
He said leaders of various political parties had assembled under the banner of National Democratic Front because “we all want to restore fundamental rights for people.”
Mr. Suhrawardy denied the allegation that the National Democratic Front was responsible for creating chaos and confusion in the country.
Mr. Ataur Rahman Khan, a former Chief Minister of East Pakistan, who also spoke at the meeting, regretted that though the Provincial Assembly had passed an adjournment motion for the release of all political prisoners, all of them had not been released yet. He said the people today were united for greater interest of the country.
RECONSTRUCTION
Mr. Mahmood Ali, former General Secretary of the now defunct National Awami Party, addressing the meeting called upon people from all walks of life to come forward and create conditions for reconstruction of the country. He said that the idea behind creating of Pakistan could not be achieved during the last 15 years.
He said a peaceful struggle should be made for the restoration of democracy in the country which, he thought, was essential for solving the problems of the people.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, former General Secretary of the now defunct Awami League, regretted that reports of various commissions appointed by the Government have not been published.
He said the report of the Pay and Services Commission should be published. He also spoke on the “imbalance in development of the two wings” and urged that attention should be paid to both wings equally for the overall improvement of the economic condition of people.
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